Kendrick Meek: “let us just make sure that we are crystal clear so that everyone understands. Not just saying, well, let me check, let…”

“let us just make sure that we are crystal clear so that everyone understands. Not just saying, well, let me check, let us see. Let us look at the people that apply for the job. Oh, there is a Republican. No. I want you to hire my right-hand staffer. I want you to hire him or her, put them in the position, okay, and so I can deal directly with them so that we can have a line of communications and we are not confused, because this person has my cell number, okay, and I want to make sure that that happens. Now, we are not talking about something that the House Ethics Committee has not already dealt with, because of the fact that this issue was brought up and it was very public. It was not any kind of clandestine operation that was going on. You just pick up the paper. Yes, that is what we are doing. What is the problem? If they are going to do business up here, they are going to hire the people that they want hired, period, dot, with a straight face, under the lights with the cameras on and the press running. That is a problem, Mr. Ryan, and I believe that when you start looking at the whole culture of corruption and cronyism, you have to look at these activities that are taking place under lights, camera, and on the front pages of newspapers. And you know something? The American people, Mr. Speaker, may feel, well, it is okay, because Congress is not calling any of these people in. Once again, you cannot be the game warden and the lead poacher at the same time.…”